The frontrunners Napheesa Collier and A’ja Wilson are among the finalists of a highly contested MVP race that the WNBA announced on Friday.
The Mercury Alyssa striker Thomas, the Guard Dream Allisha Gray and the fever goalkeeper Kelsey Mitchell complete the five prize finalists. But the race is largely projected as a competition of two women between necklace and Wilson.
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Necklace, Quintuple All-Star and Double Selection All-WNBA for Minnesota Lynx, is looking for its first MVP. Wilson, a double champion, seven times All-Star and Quintuple All-Wnba Selection for Las Vegas Aces, fourth research.
The three MVPs of Wilson are tied for the most of all time with Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie and Lauren Jackson. If she wins again, she will be alone as the most decorated MVP in the WNBA.
A’ja Wilson, on the left, went up in the MVP race after Napheesa Collier emerged in mid-season as the favorite.
(Associated Press)
The case for necklace
Necklace emerged as the autonomous favorite as it was putting the lynx to the best record of the WNBA. After a trip to the WNBA 2024 final, the Lynx separated from the other teams in the League while they presented themselves to a 20-4 record at the Stars break. They entered the playoffs as a seeded n ° 1.
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Collar is the main reason why. Force on both sides of the court, necklace collected an average of 22.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.6 interceptions and 1.5 blocks per match while firing at 53.1% of the soil.
She has had a season in small groups at long distance, while making an average of 40.3% on a career summit of 3.8 attempts per game. Its efficiency rating of 30.2 players (per) was the second best in the league.
With collar on the ground, the Lynx has performed well against the best competition in the League, displaying a 3-1 file against the Aces, Mercury and a Liberty team that bordered them during the WNBA final last season. The dream (2-1) was the only team to win their season series against the lynx.
A Ankle sprain at the end of the seasonwhich missed 11 of the 44 minnesota games. But she returned to close the strong season and led the lynx in the playoffs as a favorite of the title. For supporters of philosophy that the best player for the best team is the MVP, necklace is the winner.
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The case for Wilson
During a large part of the season, the AS was a reflection afterwards among the contenders for the title. Just like the candidacy of the Wilson MVP. Everything changed following an x-ray 111-58 x-ray in the hands of the collar lynx on August 2. The loss dropped to the AS at 14-14, at the risk of not making the playoffs.
Las Vegas has no longer lost in the regular season. Directed by Wilson, the AS ended the season on a 16-0 tear to reach the top of the ranking. This sequence included a 97-87 victory over the lynx on September 4. They finished tied with the dream of the second best record in the league and entered the playoffs as a seeded n ° 2 behind Minnesota.
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Wilson’s renewal of its MVP form led the end of the season overvoltage. For the season, Wilson collected an average of 23.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.3 blocks and 1.6 interceptions per game as bidirectional force in the post. It pulled 50.5% of the field and a career summit of 42.4% on 1.5 attempts of 3 points per game.
Wilson led the League in points and blocks per game and finished second on average rebound in Angel Reese. The 33.4 of Wilson by was the only higher brand than that of Collier 30.2. Elite defender, she won her third prize for defensive players of the year on Thursday A divided vote with Alanna Smith.
He added to a convincing race at the top of the MVP ballot and which could very well be religied in the WNBA final.
